WASPA Consultant Directory

Do you have a special HR project but not enough time to complete it?  Have you had a project on your to-do list for too long?  Do you wish you had someone on staff with particular expertise?  WASPA can help!  WASPA maintains a list of endorsed active and recently retired school human resource professionals who are available to assist WASPA member districts with a variety of Human Resources needs.  

Mark Burandt

39 plus years in public education:

9 years - Teacher (also Athletic Director 4 of those years), Houston, MN (1986-1996)

6 years - Activities Director/Assistant Principal, LaCrescent, MN (1996-2002)

2 years - Activities Director - Fond du Lac, WI (2002-2004

5 years - High School Principal - Monroe, WI (2005-2010)

5 years - Human Resources Director, Menomonie School District, Menomonie, WI (2010-2015)
Was responsible for development of employee handbook (Act 10). This included a collaborative approach to creating the handbook with significant employee input. Other responsibilities included establishment of an alternative teacher pay structure, staffing suggestions, budget control initiatives, benefits analysis, tiered implementation of the primary Other Post Employment Benefits. Other responsibilities included employee investigation and discipline, employee retention awards implementation, and participation in the district’s strategic plan. Was charged with leading the human
resources initiatives which came from this plan.

9 years - Superintendent, St. Croix Falls School District, St. Croix Falls, WI (2015-2024)
Responsibilities were all those associated with being a collaborative district leader of a district of approximately 1,000 students. Highlights include guiding policy revision, curriculum implementation, leading all aspects of employee hiring, evaluation, retention and dismissal, revising OPEB for the district, changing how health insurance is offered, and leading two successful referenda. One for deferred maintenance and the other for adding a bus garage, fitness center and fine arts center. Neither referenda resulted in an increase in the mill rate for the district. Implementation of all day 4k and establishing the first district’s sponsored child care centers occurred in 2019.

Chris Joch

Chris Joch has had the opportunity to serve as an educator for most of his professional career. He began as an elementary classroom teacher in 1992 and transitioned to administrative roles in 2001. His leadership positions span across rural, suburban, as well as urban school settings. They included Elementary Principal, High School Principal, Director of Curriculum/Instruction, Assistant Superintendent/Assistant District Administrator and Superintendent/District Administrator within public school districts. Within the choice and charter school settings he served as a Vice President of Academic Affairs, Director of Operations, and Chief Education Director. While serving in government, he was a Division Administrator for a State of Wisconsin agency. Chris has contributed to higher education as well, working as an adjunct instructor in graduate programs focused on K-12 school administration and serving as a graduate program director.

Across all of these roles, Chris has consistently managed a wide range of human resources responsibilities. His experience includes collaborating with school boards, participating in contract negotiations, cultivating relationships with vendors, consulting with legal counsel, and working with colleagues to design and sustain ethical, efficient, and effective organizational practices. His work has supported the development of sound policies, competitive compensation structures, and meaningful employment experiences for staff at all levels.

Kristen Taylor

Dr. Kristen M. Taylor is an accomplished educational leader with more than three decades of experience in PK–16 public education and executive leadership. She has served in superintendent, Human Resources, and instructional leadership roles across multiple Wisconsin school districts, where she has guided school boards in policy development, strengthened leadership capacity, advanced innovative instructional systems, and implemented strategic recruitment, retention, and operational efficiency practices that support improved student achievement.

In addition to her district leadership, she is an experienced researcher and federal grant writer, serving as co-principal investigator on a $4.9 million U.S. Department of Education SEED grant focused on culturally responsive practice and student success. Her scholarly work examines human capital management and the evolution of culturally based pedagogy.  

Disclaimer

This list of WASPA Human Resource Consultants is provided as a general service to WASPA members.  While WASPA establishes certain requirements to be a WASPA consultant, a consultant’s status as a WASPA consultant does not constitute a guarantee by WASPA of specific results for any specific consultant(s).  School districts should still vet any potential consultant based on the district’s needs.

Furthermore, WASPA does not provide tax, legal, or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal, and accounting advisors before contracting or working with any potential consultant or school district.

The Sample Template Contract for a School District HR Consultant is provided to WASPA members as a general resource.  However, it is each consultant and school district’s responsibility to negotiate, vet, modify, and seek other professional advice regarding any contract to ensure it meets their needs.